ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have assigned center Michael Nylander to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL) on a conditioning stint, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Nylander, 37, has played 920 career NHL games for the Capitals, New York Rangers, Boston , Chicago , Tampa Bay , Calgary and Hartford . He has not played a game this season.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 22, 2009

Capitals Recall Keith Aucoin, Alexandre Giroux from Hershey

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled center Keith Aucoin and left wing Alexandre Giroux from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Aucoin (oh-KOIN), 30, is a ninth-year pro who stands 5’9”, 162 pounds. The Waltham , Mass. , native was recalled to Washington on Oct. 15, and played in two games for the Caps. He has played in four games for Hershey this year and has one goal and four assists.

Last season Aucoin recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in 12 games with Washington , including five points (two goals, three assists) in the final seven games of the season. He has played in 67 career NHL games with the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, recording seven goals and 14 assists.

Giroux (jhi-ROO), 28, was the AHL most valuable player last season after leading the league with 60 goals and 97 points for the Bears. The 6’3”, 202-pound ninth-year pro played 12 games with the Capitals last season and contributed a goal and an assist.

Giroux currently stands tied for third in the AHL in scoring with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in six games. He has points in five of the six games he has played this year, including two goals and an assist in his most recent outing, Saturday night at Binghamton .

“If you grow up in metro Washington, you grow up a diehard Redskins fan. But if you hate your parents, you grow up a Cowboys fan.”-Jim Lachey

Sir_Monk wrote:Does that mean the Caps don't get the Cap hit from Nyls now that he is not on the pro roster

I'll verify but I believe that is the case. I seem to remember them saying that Bourque made the Caps roster, but they were over the cap, and that's why they were sending him down to Hershey when those bastard Penguins picked him up off the waiver wire.

RIP 21

"Nah, I trust the laws of nature to stay constant. I don't pray that the sun will rise tomorrow, and I don't need to pray that someone will beat the Cowboys in the playoffs." - Irn-Bru

Sir_Monk wrote:Does that mean the Caps don't get the Cap hit from Nyls now that he is not on the pro roster

I'll verify but I believe that is the case. I seem to remember them saying that Bourque made the Caps roster, but they were over the cap, and that's why they were sending him down to Hershey when those bastard Penguins picked him up off the waiver wire.

The moment the Pens signed him I jumped forward a few months to a playoff series with Pitt and Bourque terrorizing us.

Bruce has the authority. When Bruce makes the decision, it's a Redskins decision.